Like clockwork, one of the fire union’s representatives put out an opinion piece which bemoans just how hard and unfair life is for firefighters. You can read that opinion piece here: Local firefighters are getting burned

Matt McFarland, author of the opinion piece, says that “Humboldt Bay Fire line staff has gone 10 years without one single pay increase — not even for cost of living. In that same 10 years, the average cost of living has increased 19 percent.”

We’d invite you again to check out the article we wrote last week about the reality – between that article and reading the Memorandum of Understanding between HBF and it’s union employees, you’ll see that the claim about raises is completely false.

So, to counter that bullshit claim with some actual numbers, here are two links; one is to a list of HBF salaries from 2013, and the second is the same list from 2014.

Hmmmmm…let’s compare front line combat soldier hazard pay and yearly fireman’s salary and benefits.
A typical army sergeant with four years service makes a base pay of less than $30,000 a year, add $250.00 per month while on a combat status plus the benefits of dehydration, scabies, oh yeah being blown to bits.
A career in fire fighting is a noble one but, when salary, benefit and staffing rules are written up with sweetheart overtime deals and over the top executive officers pay that’s where the tax payers are getting shafted.
Easy fix…. three shifts, just like any other public service 24 hour job, police officer, highway patrol man.
The sleep over at the station 24 hour shift is a throw back of a now Antiquated system of staffing used to garnish more pay.
A fresh crew every eight hours makes way more sense and will cut the pork out of the picture.
Can you imagine knowing that a law enforcement officer is sound asleep in bed when you need help???
Makes perfect sense.
Remember back when service board members voted themselves full benefits for life, remember the city of Bell ?
The MRU’s have got to go, the ridiculous state mandates have got to go.
Common sense staffing and a robust volunteer turn out worked fine till the greed sat in.

The link to the pay and benefits do not reflect the current mix of City of Eureka and Humboldt #1 FPD, merged together to become Humboldt Bay Fire Joint Powers Authority. The links only show HFD#1. For true comparison, you will need to look at the City of Eureka pay and benefits for the same time period.